What are white papers and why should you care? White papers persuade readers by providing authoritative, in-depth reports on a specific topic. They present a problem and offer a solution. We create whitepapers to educate our audience about a particular issue, or explain and promote a particular methodology. They’re advanced problem-solving guides—not sales pitches.

There are no specific requirements for calling a document a whitepaper. But, this doesn’t mean you should just call any old document you create a whitepaper. At the end of the day, white papers must provide value to your audience if they’re going to be effective or your risk confusing your audience and losing credibility.

Providing Value, Not Just Selling:

The key to a successful whitepaper is providing your audience with value. White papers should not be sales pitches. That’s not to say they can’t be persuasive, but their number one goal should be to educate, not sell. White papers are problem-solving documents, meant to help the reader understand an issue and find a solution that works for them.

If you’re able to provide value with your whitepaper, you’ll be able to build trust and credibility with your audience. And that’s invaluable.

What Makes It a White Paper?

So what makes a good white paper? Although every whitepaper is different, there are some traits that all of the most successful ones share. These include:

• A good title that accurately reflects the content of the paper
• An in-depth exploration of a specific problem or issue
• A proposed solution to the problem or issue discussed
• A detailed explanation of why the proposed solution is effective
• White papers are typically longer than other types of marketing collateral, around five to eight pages. This allows you to more readily dive deep into the issue and explore it from all angles.

If you’re thinking of creating a white paper, keep these elements in mind. And remember, the goal is to provide value—not to hard sell.

Why You Should Create a White Paper as Part of Your Lead Generation Strategy:

Another advantage of white papers is that they are frequently hidden behind barriers—for example, requiring an email address to obtain the information—making them ideal for gathering leads.

Using white papers to capture leads increases your email marketing list, giving you more opportunities to nurture prospects into customers down the road.

Another reason to create white papers is that they are great for demonstrating your thought leadership and industry expertise, both of which can help you win over new customers. If you can show that you know what you’re talking about and that you have solutions to the challenges your prospects are facing, they’re more likely to do business with you.

What You Need to Create a White Paper:

Creating a whitepaper doesn’t have to be a chore. Start by brainstorming the issue you want to address and who your target audience is. Then, do your research and put together a rough outline of your paper. Once you have a good idea of what you want to say, start writing.

Remember to keep your audience in mind as you write and focus on providing value. If you can do that, you’ll be well on your way to creating a successful white paper.

it is not essential to highly design your paper but it is necessary to have a good title, cover page, and easy-to-read font style with proper headings.

A more heavily crafted white paper can help lend credibility to your business, by visually conveying that you are a professional organization that takes its work seriously. If you want to go this route, consider hiring a graphic designer to help you put together an attractive and on-brand document.

At the end of the day, your white paper should be well-researched, persuasive, and authoritative. Be sure to back up your claims with data, and include a call-to-action so your readers know what to do next. If you can do all that, you’ll have a successful white paper on your hands.

What Types of Topics Should you Write About:

There are endless possibilities for white paper topics. However, it’s important to choose a topic that will be relevant and valuable to your target audience. Brainstorm a list of potential topics and then narrow it down to the one that you think will be the most helpful to your readers.

Some Common Subjects Include:

• How to overcome a common challenge your industry is facing
• An analysis of a recent change or development in your industry
• A comparison of different products, services, or methods
• An important case study of a successful customer

If you’re stuck, try looking at what other companies in your industry are doing. Chances are, they’ve created a white paper on a topic that would be relevant to your audience. You can use their topic as inspiration for your own paper.

Why Not Just Write a Blog Post?

There are a few key reasons why white papers are different—and often more effective—than blog posts.

First, white papers should be much more in-depth than most blog posts. They allow you to dive deeply into a topic and explore it from multiple angles. This comprehensive approach is what sets white papers apart from other types of marketing collateral.

Second, white papers are typically viewed as more credible than blog posts. This is because they are often written by experts in the field and contain detailed research and statistics. When done well, a white paper can position you as a thought leader in your industry—someone who knows what they’re talking about and has solutions to the challenges your prospects are facing.

Finally, white papers give you the ability to grow your audience through the collection of high-value contacts. With your paper, you can increase your email marketing list and nurture prospects into customers down the road.

Overall, white papers are a great addition to any lead generation strategy. If you can provide valuable information in your whitepaper, you can build trust and credibility with your audience—which is invaluable.

How to Share Your White Paper:

Once you have created your white paper, it’s time to share it with the world. Here are a few tips for getting the most out of your white paper:

• Share on social media: White papers make great content for social media. Share an overview of your paper on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to get people interested. Then, include a link to your paper in the post so people can download it.
• Share on your website: Add your white paper to your website’s resources or blog section. This will help improve your SEO and get more eyes on your paper.
• Share via email: Email is a great way to share your white paper with your audience. You can send it to your email list or reach out to individuals who you think would be interested.
• Share in person: If you’re attending an industry event or meeting, bring copies of your white paper to hand out. This is a great way to get more people interested in what you have to say.

By following these tips, you can ensure that your white paper gets in front of the people who need to see it.

Key Takeaways:

• White papers are comprehensive, persuasive reports on a specific topic that present a problem and provide a solution.
• We create white papers to educate our audience about an issue or promote a particular methodology.
• White papers must provide value to the reader and be relevant to your target audience.
• White papers are typically viewed as more credible than blog posts and can help position you as a thought leader in your industry.
• White papers give you the ability to grow your audience through the collection of high-value contacts.
• Share your white paper on social media, on your website, via email, and in person to get the most out of it.

Do you still have doubts? We are here to assist you. Contact us right now to discuss your particular requirements and how we may assist you in developing a successful lead generation approach.